MILTON KEYNES- IDEAL DESTINATION FOR TECH START-UPS
Milton Keynes is one of the hottest destinations in the country right now. Even amid the pandemic, Milton Keynes and the surrounding SEMLEP region saw a slight yet steady growth in the number of start-ups and innovative businesses established. Among these, a large number of start-ups belonged to the tech and IT sectors. Hardly surprising, as MK is often referred to as the “City of Dreams,” and widely considered to be the best place to establish a tech start-up outside of London. And with more than 10,000 innovative businesses and a large number of tech start-ups calling Milton Keynes home, it is of little wonder why this new town in Buckinghamshire has become a hotspot for tech start-ups and expanding businesses.
WHY MILTON KEYNES FOR TECH START-UPS?
Several factors collectively make MK an ideal place for tech enterprises. Some of the most significant ones are:
Great Business Support
Perhaps the most crucial factor is the presence of several incubators, accelerators, and tech hubs, which provide vital support to start-ups in getting off the ground and growing their business in the initial period. Whether it is something critical like access to industry experts, exclusive networking events and funding resources, or something practical like the availability of excellent and reasonable office space. The invaluable support from these programs plays a vital role in helping tech start-ups lay the foundations of their business in the town. Some of these popular programs include:
- IM Accelerator
- Cranfield Eagle Lab
- Natwest Entrepreneur Accelerator
Specialised Tech Education
Milton Keynes is home to some of the best educational institutions for studying the various fields of technology and digital. It makes it easy for start-ups and established enterprises to look for skilled professionals for their organisation and train existing staff in the latest advancements in these areas through specialised courses. MK College, Cranfield University, and the Open University offer a diverse range of digital and tech courses that aim to fill the skills gap in the sector. Furthermore, Milton Keynes is also set to welcome its university MK: U and the South Central Institute of Technology (SCIoT) in Bletchley, which is expected to be one of the best tech education centres in the country.
Best Overall Support
It takes a good amount of investment, research, human resources, knowledge, and access to the right connections to establish a tech enterprise successfully. And Milton Keynes is one of the few towns that offers all of this and more. From great infrastructure and travel links to easy access to skilled workers and industry experts, tech businesses can get everything they need to make a flying start. Here are some other resources that provide significant support to start-ups in Milton Keynes:
- Investment & Funding – The Milton Keynes Investors Network, SEMLEP ‘s Growth Hub, The Midland’s Engine Investment Fund
- Networking & Knowledge Base – Made in MK, MK Innovates, BizTech, Natwest Boost, FSB
NOTABLE TECH START-UPS & BUSINESSES IN MILTON KEYNES
There are a large number of local and international tech businesses that are based in Milton Keynes. Xero, GE, HP, Apple, Cisco, Red Bull Racing, Tech Mahindra, Microsoft, JML Software, Starship Robots, and Oracle are just a few names in a long list of prominent tech-based organisations that have offices in MK. Similarly, several notable tech start-ups such as Envisics, LQID, and Crypto Charter, among others, also sit alongside these large companies.
As the leading tech and innovation hub of Milton Keynes, BizTech also collaborates with several SMEs and start-ups like Figuring Out Data, Sara Penrose Optimisation Training, and Briteyellow, to name a few that have chosen to call Milton Keynes their home.
With so many large and small enterprises choosing Milton Keynes as their operational base, the region may soon overtake other tech hotspots in the country to become the best location for seeking innovation in tech and establishing a successful tech business. BizTech offers attractive membership options to tech enthusiasts, professionals, and enterprises to help them connect with the right people in the industry and benefit from a collaboration. Get in touch to learn more about our membership and how we can provide support for growing your business.
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Customer Testimonials
I came across the Biztech Forum about 18 months after starting my Engineering Consulting Company. I was still finding my feet and had been doing the rounds of various networking groups. From the first meeting I attended the Biztech Forum was different! Noteably, the meeting was about arranging Events for members to inform and educate them about business and technology topics, not businesses (mostly irrelevant to me) trying to sell to each other! 11 years on and I am a Director of the Forum and have found great value not only in the Events, but most particularly in being able to collaborate, associate and work with like minded peers and leaders be they with technical, entrepreneurial, education, business or any other background.
I joined Biztech because I saw an opportunity to help more Tech Business owners in the region. The Biztech Board is full of enthusiastic and very experienced tech leaders and their passion and vision to helping others was the main reason that I joined. My membership has helped me to expand my network and make quality connections within the tech sector. I look forward to supporting not only Biztech but also its members and stakeholders for many years to come.
We joined Biztech to discover more about and engage with the community of technology businesses within the Milton Keynes region. We benefitted immediately from the events that Biztech presents that address a range of highly relevant subjects and that have helped us to feel very much at the centre of the local community of businesses.
It became apparent however that there was much more than Biztech could do to help the region’s technology businesses to thrive, for example by looking for ways to address the shortage of young people choosing a career as an engineer. It was a great privilege therefore to be able to help establish the massively successful ‘Engineering your future’ Biztech event held annually for schools.
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